If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

In France, my calculations are about 5.50 EUR a US gallon, that'd make 7.39 USD for a gallon of diesel (I've noticed that in the USA, diesel is more expensive than unleaded, while here it's the other way around, can someone explain me why is that) !!!

...

I really need to move closer to work.

I also think I'll go back to British English classes so I can speak English like you. It's awesome.

I remember when it used to be cheaper. Thankfully where I live it's equal with the price of premium gasoline and not more.

Yep. I have a couple friends who converted their old turbo-diesel Benz's to bio-diesel and get the grease or whatever it is from local restaurants. The places actually pay him to take it. It's not much, but it makes travel much cheaper.

I wouldn't mind a diesel car right now, they get way better mileage. As long as the price stays the same as premium, I'd still probably double my mileage. Always liked the diesel Mercedes-Benz's myself.

Yep. I have a couple friends who converted their old turbo-diesel Benz's to bio-diesel and get the grease or whatever it is from local restaurants. The places actually pay him to take it. It's not much, but it makes travel much cheaper.

I have no idea why it's always the old MBs that I see converted to biodiesel. Can you clear this up?

Add in the other minor deposits and you have a high end estimate of roughly 4 trillion barrels of technically recoverable ersatz-crude in NA.

That was the high end of my "back of the napkin" estimate, mind you. I don't think that much is economically recoverable at any realistic future price. But a quarter or half... oh yeah. And a couple trillion barrels of oil is nothing to sneeze at.

Still not seeing where 4 trillion comes from other than some very fuzzy mathematics on your part. That's more than the total recoverable in the world based on your first link which calls into question the accuracy of either your number or that estimate. Seeing as a decent source is given for that estimate I'm not convinced. I try to keep on top of this (as somebody who has worked in the oil industry and plans to go back) and I don't think I have ever seen 4 trillion recoverable in North America given by a reliable source, just keyboard geologists. Prove me wrong, find a decent source.

I have no idea why it's always the old MBs that I see converted to biodiesel. Can you clear this up?

I really have no idea. It may just be popularity and the instructions and conversion kits are already out there. I see lots of old turbo-diesel Benz's. My friend who did it is a total hippie. His whole family is.

A few other thoughts here:
Euope also moves virtually all of its goods by truck. Rail infrastructure is not nearly as dense as needed by the industry and many tracks have been abandoned, beacuse they are deemed unprofitable, or because the industries sitting at the end of those tracks have disappeared. The only industries which use rail intensively are car manufacturers like VW which use their own trains on their plants and transport many of their products by rail directly to the harbours for export.
High fuel prices hit us in the same way as they would hit america. Everything becomes more expensive. Not just fuel.

Another thing is that the transport industry is not only burdened by heavily taxed fuel in Germany for example, but also by higway tolls. Germany is a transit country which has to take up all the traffic from east to west, and back. Which in turn puts more strain on our highways and rises cost to keep infrastructure working.

Diesel is cheaper here because it is a more efficient fuel than Gas and the government raises less taxes on Diesel to promote its use among the general population and give the transport industry a chance to stay operational, without having to raise it's prices and thus making everything even more expensive than it already is. But since Diesel use became quite widespread here, demand has increased and so did the Diesel price. It's still a few cents cheaper than Gas though.

Diesel is refined from crude oil by fractional distillation. This means there is only a fixed part of a barrel of oil that can be turned into Diesel. The rest may be used to produce other fuels. This means refineries can't produce more Diesel without an overall increase of production capacities.

*****ing is indecorous and unseemly. Keep calm and carry on. If necessary, when a particularly inconvenient calamity befalls you, such as bankruptcy, or a losing a limb you may tut or sigh so express your discontent. If the problem persists, feel free to post in the "Things I am currently hating" thread.

If "*****ing" as you so crudely put it is really necessary, try to ensure it is expressed with gratuitous sarcasm and cutting remarks. This serves to both highlight your annoyence and proves entertainment to the listener, who probably appreciates a man of keen wit. A mixture of hyperbole and litotes is particularly effective. Ideally the expression of discontent can be delivered in a well spoken British accent, adding to the gravity of the complaint and sharpness of the witty phrases used.

A few other thoughts here:
Euope also moves virtually all of its goods by truck. Rail infrastructure is not nearly as dense as needed by the industry and many tracks have been abandoned, beacuse they are deemed unprofitable, or because the industries sitting at the end of those tracks have disappeared. The only industries which use rail intensively are car manufacturers like VW which use their own trains on their plants and transport many of their products by rail directly to the harbours for export.
High fuel prices hit us in the same way as they would hit america. Everything becomes more expensive. Not just fuel.

Another thing is that the transport industry is not only burdened by heavily taxed fuel in Germany for example, but also by higway tolls. Germany is a transit country which has to take up all the traffic from east to west, and back. Which in turn puts more strain on our highways and rises cost to keep infrastructure working.

Diesel is cheaper here because it is a more efficient fuel than Gas and the government raises less taxes on Diesel to promote its use among the general population and give the transport industry a chance to stay operational, without having to raise it's prices and thus making everything even more expensive than it already is. But since Diesel use became quite widespread here, demand has increased and so did the Diesel price. It's still a few cents cheaper than Gas though.

Diesel is refined from crude oil by fractional distillation. This means there is only a fixed part of a barrel of oil that can be turned into Diesel. The rest may be used to produce other fuels. This means refineries can't produce more Diesel without an overall increase of production capacities.

Yep. I have a couple friends who converted their old turbo-diesel Benz's to bio-diesel and get the grease or whatever it is from local restaurants. The places actually pay him to take it. It's not much, but it makes travel much cheaper.

I wouldn't mind a diesel car right now, they get way better mileage. As long as the price stays the same as premium, I'd still probably double my mileage. Always liked the diesel Mercedes-Benz's myself.

That, and diesel engines last a lot longer (albeit expensive to maintain if something does happen).

Something worth considering: Yes gas in Europe is more expensive but driving is less avoidable in America. Its a matter of space. Houses are built in one place, stores and work centers in another. When I lived in England it was easy to walk to most places and run my errands. In my new home, that is simply impossible. Houses are built in different areas than stores and businesses because there is enough space to do so. People build houses in desirable areas. Businesses set up in areas people don't want to live in because their overhead will be lower. Also, cargo is moved more by road than any other method. A small jump in gas prices is also a small jump in all expenses. Nothing I mentioned is really in my control, I just have to eat it and drive. Not *****ing, it just is the way it is.

Exactly the situation here in the southern tip of Africa. And still we pay $6/USgallon , and it is going up soon.

Something worth considering: Yes gas in Europe is more expensive but driving is less avoidable in America. Its a matter of space. Houses are built in one place, stores and work centers in another. When I lived in England it was easy to walk to most places and run my errands. In my new home, that is simply impossible. Houses are built in different areas than stores and businesses because there is enough space to do so. People build houses in desirable areas. Businesses set up in areas people don't want to live in because their overhead will be lower. Also, cargo is moved more by road than any other method. A small jump in gas prices is also a small jump in all expenses. Nothing I mentioned is really in my control, I just have to eat it and drive. Not *****ing, it just is the way it is.

Yeah because we all know all countries in Europea all look the same.
In the northern part of Sweden where my family come from, called Norrland, only 1,2 million people live in an area in size of Germany.

Is LPG common in the US? (Liquefied Petroleum Gas, mostly propane/butane gas).

Here in Australia it's about half the price of premium unleaded and gets you about 2/3 distance the same volume of petrol gets you. We can do about 500km highway in a heavy 6 cylinder car with a full 80l tank, around $50 worth. Smaller cars are cheaper again, obviously.